FAQs

Hope for Haiti is a Christian, volunteer-led ministry that serves alongside Haitian churches, families, workers, and community leaders. Since 1999, the ministry has focused on practical care, faith-based outreach, and long-term relationships in Haiti.

Hope for Haiti has served alongside Haitian communities for more than 26 years. Since 1999, the ministry has led more than 50 mission trips and brought more than 500 students and adults from the United States to serve with Haitian partners.

Through mission teams, local partnerships, and ongoing support, Hope for Haiti has helped build four Lutheran churches, two Lutheran schools, and an orphanage. The ministry has also distributed food in communities experiencing malnutrition and provided thousands of pairs of eyeglasses to people who otherwise could not afford them.

“Hope on the Ground” describes Hope for Haiti’s commitment to showing up consistently, listening to local leaders, and walking alongside communities over time. It reflects a ministry built on presence, partnership, faith, practical service, and trust, rather than a one-time response or short-term project.

Hope for Haiti is volunteer-led. No salaries are paid from donations, allowing generosity to support ministry programs and identified needs in Haiti.

Hope for Haiti works alongside trusted Haitian partners to support food assistance, vision clinics, eyeglasses, road and community-access projects, Vacation Bible School, prayer, church-based ministry, and other locally identified needs.

The ministry’s current program emphasis is Food, Access, and Vision.

The Food program helps provide staple foods to individuals, families, and communities facing high prices and limited access to basic supplies. Depending on local needs and availability, food assistance may include rice, beans, spaghetti, cooking oil, flour, and other essential items distributed through trusted church and community relationships.

The Access program supports community access and infrastructure needs. Current plans include improving a washed-out road near Cap-Haïtien that connects communities and provides access to a partner church.

Support may help fund road rock, water containment, materials, and local construction labor. Hiring local workers helps put resources into the community while addressing a practical access need.

The Vision program provides vision testing, eyeglasses, and related supplies to children and adults who have difficulty seeing clearly. A pair of glasses can help a child read, help an adult work, support school attendance, and improve daily independence and quality of life.

Hope for Haiti’s U.S. mission-team members receive training through MOST Ministries in Ann Arbor to conduct vision testing and help identify appropriate eyeglasses for people in need.

Food, access, and vision address different needs, but they share one goal: helping people and communities participate more fully in daily life. Food supports nourishment, access helps communities reach important resources, and vision care can help people read, learn, work, and care for their families.

Hope for Haiti approaches these priorities as part of a larger commitment to people, churches, local workers, and relationships, not simply as one-time distributions of supplies.

Yes. Hope for Haiti intentionally works through Haitian pastors, churches, workers, families, orphanages, and community leaders. The organization seeks to listen before acting and respond to needs that are identified locally.

This approach helps support ministry and community relationships that continue after a U.S. mission team returns home.

Current ministry relationships include the First Evangelical Church of Cap-Haïtien, led by Pastor Elliona Bernard, and the First Evangelical Church of Ouanaminthe, led by Pastor Daniel Paul.

Hope for Haiti also works with other stateside and Haiti-based partners to identify needs and coordinate assistance.

Yes. Hope for Haiti seeks to support practical needs today while investing in relationships and opportunities that can continue over time. The ministry works to hire local people whenever possible, directs assistance through trusted local partners, and is exploring breadfruit-tree planting with the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society and Trees That Feed Foundation as a possible sustainable food and income initiative.

Yes. Hope for Haiti’s mission is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The ministry believes physical and spiritual care belong together and seeks to demonstrate Christ’s love through practical service, prayer, church partnership, encouragement, and Gospel-centered outreach.

Faith is woven into the ministry through prayer, service alongside local churches and pastors, Gospel materials, church gatherings, Vacation Bible School, and personal conversations supported by Haitian translators and workers.

Hope for Haiti’s goal is not for communities to depend on visiting Americans, but for assistance to strengthen Haitian churches and leaders who remain connected to their communities throughout the year.

Vacation Bible School, often called VBS, is a ministry program designed to share Bible-based teaching, encouragement, activities, and community with children and families. Hope for Haiti plans to include VBS as part of ministry activity in Ouanaminthe during the 2027 mission.

Hope for Haiti plans a mission trip from January 13 through January 20, 2027, serving in and near Cap-Haïtien and Ouanaminthe in northern Haiti. Planned activities include food support, eyeglass clinics, community-access work, prayer, church partnership, and Vacation Bible School.

Plans remain subject to local conditions, partner coordination, travel requirements, safety assessments, available funding, and the organization’s final decisions.

Hope for Haiti plans to conduct five eyeglass clinics during the January 2027 mission. The projected goal is to test approximately 1,000 people and distribute more than 800 pairs of eyeglasses, depending on clinic participation, supplies, local conditions, and mission logistics.

Approximately 40% is planned for staple food purchases and distribution. Approximately 40% is planned for road and infrastructure access needs. Approximately 20% is planned for eyeglass clinics, glasses, cases, eye drops, sunglasses, and related supplies.

These amounts should be presented as planned funding priorities and updated if budgets, local costs, or mission plans change.

Conditions in Haiti can change quickly. Hope for Haiti makes mission and travel decisions based on current circumstances, trusted local guidance, travel requirements, available transportation, and the organization’s own safety planning.

Prospective participants should contact Hope for Haiti directly and review current official travel guidance before considering participation.

You can donate through the organization’s secure online service like Venmo or by contacting us to setup a preferred method. Donors will be able to support general ministry needs or designate a gift toward Food, Access, Vision, or a current mission priority.

Hope for Haiti is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) organization; donations may generally be tax-deductible. Please refer to your trusted tax advisor on how your contribution will affect your taxes.

Yes. Supporters may be able to help through food-packing events, supply organization, fundraising, church presentations, prayer support, social-media sharing, event assistance, administrative help, and community outreach.

Volunteer needs vary throughout the year. Interested individuals should contact Hope for Haiti to learn about current opportunities.

Yes. Hope for Haiti welcomes opportunities to work with churches, schools, businesses, and community groups that want to support Haiti through prayer, fundraising, food packing, supply drives, educational presentations, sponsorship, or ministry partnerships.

Groups can contact Hope for Haiti to discuss a presentation, partnership idea, service event, donation drive, or another way to participate.